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With over 25 year experience, Juan Carlos Garcia has served the Connecticut and Greater New York City area. His focus and dedication to his client’s satisfaction is unmatched. His door is always open, his phone is always on and his knowledge is always available to his clients.

Before spending thousands of dollars on home improvements to sell your Stamford-area home, consider whether you will get the best bang for your buck. Unfortunately, too many personalized “improvements” backfire. According to an article by rismedia.com, one of the main reasons homes don’t sell is because the improvements are too personalized. For example, comic book murals painted on the wall of a custom office with built-in shelving specifically for your hobbies will scare off buyers. Focus on general home improvements that have the most impact on potential buyers.

Home Improvement #1 – Adding fresh coats of paint

Painting your home can either increase the value or lower the value, depending on the colors you choose. Last year, yellow was a big color for kitchens. This year, buyers are spending more for homes with different blue shades. Talk to your real estate agent about which paint colors appeal to the buyers this season. Only use daring colors such as red in small spaces such as bathrooms.

Home Improvement #2 – Sprucing up the kitchen

Instead of spending $10,000 or more on a kitchen remodel, simply add a backsplash. One study found homes with subway tile in the kitchens sold for 6.9 percent more money. If you aren’t handy, hire a professional since anything other than peel-and-stick products are difficult to install. A Zillow Digs study found homes that had Shaker cabinets sold for 9.6 percent more than expected, while granite kitchen counters brought in 4.1 percent higher bids.

Other areas of the home that matter include bathrooms. Instead of a major overhaul, simply change out old toilet bowls, add backsplashes and paint. Make sure the fireplace functions, as buyers love to cozy up by the fireplace when it’s cold outside. Also, invest in a smart thermostat, trendy barn doors, and landscaping. Spend money wisely on home improvements for the best ROI (return on investment). Although they don’t seem as sexy, new roofs and A/C systems also matter to cost-conscious buyers. At Sunbelt Real Estate, we walk through our client’s home to figure out the best improvements and strategies for a quick sale. For general home selling tips and advice on staging and marketing your home in Greenwich, Stamford and nearby areas, please contact us today.

Buying a home is one of the biggest purchases you will make in your lifetime. Many buyers jump headfirst into house hunting without any real guidance or understanding of how the housing market works. At Sunbelt Real Estate our dedicated agents are eagerly anticipating your call, armed with knowledge and insight into the real world of home-buying. If you’re considering buying your first home, a vacation home, or just exploring your options for the future, we strongly urge you to do it with the help of our qualified professionals who wants only the very best for our clients.

Reasons to Buy in Today’s Economy

Appreciation: House values are higher than ever in today’s economy. Historically speaking, values have risen at a rate of 5.2% yearly but in most recent years, values are rising at an astronomical 7%, which in turn will create a higher demand for housing in the very near future, thus raising the equity in your home.

Low-Interest Rates: Due to the economic crash, home loan rates are at an all-time low, making it easier than ever for you to get into a new home.

Zero Down Options:Tying into low-interest rates for mortgages are zero down options that many financial institutes now offer. If a zero down option is not available, many places are still offering lowered down payments, such as 1% or 3%, contrary to the popular belief that 20% down is required.

Bad Rental Market:With prices of rentals soaring, what better time to buy your own home? Paying on your mortgage instead of paying someone else’s mortgage just makes more sense logically and financially. Rental prices are expected to go up even more in the next few years, depending on your area, whereas with a fixed-rate mortgage, you pay the same amount every month!

Tips and Tricks on Buying

Hire An Agent: Agents can effectively choose houses that suit your individual needs without wasting your time; short sale properties and the like can be a headache to home buyers and skilled agents will know what properties to look at to avoid wasting your time.

Get Loan Pre-approval:Having financing in places makes it possible for you to put in an offer on a home you love immediately without the worry of having someone else put in an offer first. This is not always necessary but it can alleviate stress on you, the homebuyer, and many sellers who often times won’t entertain offers from individuals without assurance that the buyer can get a loan.

Negotiate Offers:Negotiating is a big part of buying a home and with the help of a real estate agent, the process can go smoother than ever. You may need to negotiate up if there are many offers on a property or negotiate down if the seller’s asking price is too high for the area or if the home had issues that would need to be tended to upon purchase.

Why Sunbelt?

Sunbelt Real Estate has been helping home buyers find their perfect home for the past 20 years. Sunbelt serves the Connecticut area into New York’s Metro area, as well as Florida and international areas. With a vast knowledge of many different areas and properties, Sunbelt is sure to satisfy your needs and provide you with a purchase you can be happy and confident in. Contact us today so we can help you move into the home of your dreams!

Buying a home is never a decision to be taken lightly, and the importance of making the right decision becomes magnified when you decide to buy a luxury home. However, as scary as the process might seem, it can certainly one of the most rewarding choices of your life! The home you’ve always pictured in your head is out there–here are some tips to help you find it.

Understand the Process

When it comes to the luxury housing market, sellers tend to be a bit more private. That means that you may need to dig a little bit deeper to find out what homes are available, whether that means going through a few more websites or using the personal connections of a real estate agent.

Know What YOU Want

While you will likely have the help of a few professionals throughout the home buying process, you are ultimately the one who will be living in the house. Make sure that you understand your family’s needs and lifestyle, and what kind of property will meet and fulfill them.

Make Sure the Finances are in Order

The figures involved in a luxury housing deal tend to be substantial, and sellers will often want to verify that you have the necessary funds when it comes time to make an offer. Make sure to have a current bank statement with your personal information redacted handy in case this comes up. Also, if the transaction is taking place across borders, make sure that you understand all of the applicable tax laws.

Team Up with the Right People

By far the most important step of the process is to choose an experienced partner to guide you through. It is absolutely essential that you seek the help of someone who has worked through the home buying process many times over. With luxury home buying, the stakes are simply too high to try to go it on your own or to work with someone who lacks the necessary qualifications. Contact Sunbelt Real Estate to start the process of making your dream home a reality.

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Sunbelt is a New York S Corporation established in May 21st 1996 as a result of the dissolution of the land sales division in the North East of the USA by Avatar Corporation. Sunbelt Corporation is a Real Estate Licensed company in NY, CT and Mass.